Barrel-cooling device.



c. SHEPPARD.

C V E D G N L O 0 HIV IL M DH A B APPLICATION FILED DEC. 30. I915. RENEWED FEB. 27.1917.

'Patented Oct. 9,1917.

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BA 0 IN ICATION FILED F/EZ' ED FEB. 2

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v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. I

cnEEDYc. SHEPPARD, or nnrnenron'r, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR T0 UNITED STATES OB-DNANCE COMPANY, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, A CORPORATION 01' VIRGINIA.

BARREL-COOLING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 9, 1917.

Application filed December 30, 1915, Serial No.69,370. Renewed February 27, 1917. Serial No. 151,372.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CREEDY C. SHnPrARn, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield,

. State of Connecticut, have invented certain duction of such induced circulation of air being independent of the vacuum at the muzzle of the barrel incident to such discharge.

To this end I surround the barrel with a spaced jacket and between this jacket and the barrel air is drawn'by a suitable fan operated either through the instrumentality of the gases of discharge or other suitable power derived from the discharge of the gun.

I shall describe my invention in the best form knownto me at present, but it should be understood that it is susceptible to improvement in forms, proportions, and details of construction, (and to desirable additions,) by the exercise of ordinary mechanical skill and without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings chosen to illustrate my invention, the scope whereof is pointed out in the claims- Figure l is a side elevation of a gun barrel provided with my improved cooling de Vice, the acket beingshown in section;

Fig. 2, a view looking at the muzzle end of the barrel in Fig. l with the jacket supports broken away;

Fig. 3, a section on the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4, a section on the line 4--4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5, a view similar to Fig. lshowing a modified form of the device and with the barrel partly in section Fig. 6, a section on the line 6-6 of F ig'. 5, and

Fig. 7, a view'similar to Fig. 1 showing still another modified form of the device and with the barrel partly in section.

4 the gun'barrel is indicated at 10 and encircling said barrel and suitably supported thereby is a jacket 11 forming an air circulating space 12. Rotatably mounted on the barrel 10 adjacent the muzzle and breech ends thereof respectively are frames 13 and 14 which have secured thereto respective ends of a helical fan 15. i

As will be ob servedthe fan 15 extends around the bare rel with its inner edge relatively near same and its outer edge relatively near the inner wall of the acket 11. Secured to the frame 13 and extending forwardly parallel to and concentric with the barrel 10 is a pluralityof arms 16. The outer-ends of the arms 16 he beyond the muzzle of the barrel 10 and have formed integraltherewith respectii'ely inwardly directed vanes 17 which latter are.

shaped and arranged after the fashion of the vanes of a windmill. The inner ends of the vanes 17 are so disposed with respect to the bore of the barrel 10 that the gases of discharge upon leaving the here will impinge thereagainst but at the same time they will be located out of the path of the bullet as it leaves the bore.

The manner in which the device operates will be obvious. Upon the gun being fired the gases of discharge \vill impinge on the vanes 17 and rotate the latter and the fan 15. This'rotation of the fan will induce a circulation of air through the space 12 from the breech to the muzzle of the barrel and effect the necessary cooling thereof. In the case of automatic guns,-which are fired with great rapidity, the rotation of the fan 15 will of course be continuous.

In the form of the invention illustrated.

in Figs. 5 and 6 I move the frame 13 some distance inwardly from the muzzle end of the barrel and provide the latter with gas ports 18 and 19 positioned to discharge the gases against the vanes 17. The forward or .muzzle end of the jacket 10 is supported by a frame 20 mounted on the barrel, said frame also carrying the front sight 21. In this instance I show the fan constructed of two s iral blades 22 and 23 althou h a singtle blade could be employed if desired.

1 In the form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 7 I dispense with the use of vanes and provide the barrel with a gas port 24 so positioned that the gases discharged Referring particularly to Figs. 1, 2, 3 and therethrough impinge directly on the blades '22 and 23 of the fan and thereby rotate the latter to efiect the desired induced circulation of air between the jacket 11 and the barrel 10.- v

While I have shown the barrel as constituting the bearing for the circulating fan in each form of the invention disclosed, it will be apparent that the jacket 11' could be utilized for the same purpose and ,such a construction would be resorted to in cases Where it' is desirable to frequently remove the barrel from the gun andreplace same of discharge to induce a circulation with another for continued firing or for practice purposes.

I claim 1. In a barrel cooling device, the combination of a barrel, a jacket surrounding the barrel, and-a device between the; jacket and barrel operated by the gases of discharge to induce a circulation of air between thejacket andbarrel.

, 2. In a barrel cooling device, the combination of a barrel, aljacket surrounding the barrel, and a fan rotatable between the jacket and barrel and operated by the gases of air between the jacket and barrel.

I 3. In a barrel cooling device, the combi nation of a barrel having a gas port, a

jacket surrounding the barrel, and a device between the jacket and barrel operated by. tie gases discharged through said port to induce a circulation of air between the jacket and barrel.

4.1111 a" barrel cooling device, the oombi nation of a barrel, a jacket surrounding. the

barrel, and a helical fan rotatable between the jacket andbarrel and operated by the gases of discharge to induce a circulation of .jacket surrounding the barrel, and a. fan

rotatable between the jacket and barrel and operated by the discharge of gases from said port to induce acirculation of air be tween the barrel and jacket.

In testimony-whereof, I aflix lny signa- I ture,,ir. the presence of two witnesses.

CREEDY C. SHEPPARD. Witnesses: I A

T. s. ARDE'STY, H. MELmcK. 

